Teardrops
by Crimson Kasumi
Summary: TifaxCloud one-shot. I really like, for myself. imo, the best fic i have done.


..::Teardrops::.  
  
She sat on her piano bench with her hand holding her chin up, resting her elbow on the edge of the instrument. She pressed one of her petite fingers on a key.  
  
*Pong*  
  
"I am *so* bored." Tifa said dully. She glanced towards the single window of her room. The sky was painted in light grays, showing signs of stormy weather up ahead. She quickly made up her mind and stood from her seat.  
  
"I'll just go outside. A little rain won't hurt me."  
  
.~+~.  
  
She closed the door of her Nibelheim home gently and walked to the infamous well of her life. She sighed. It had been almost a year since AVALANCHE had defeated Sephiroth, rid the Planet of Meteor and became worldwide hero's. Whenever she would travel out of her hometown, she would usually have people come up to her and have the same questions asked; "Are you Tifa of AVALANCHE?", "How was it like to defeat Sephiroth?", "Can I have your autograph?".  
  
It was a usual routine for her. It's funny though, when you think about. The group used to be nothing but a feared terrorist group and now they're known as good guys. She found it humorous.  
  
Tifa still kept in contact with all her friends. Barret had decided to move to Kalm with Marlene, RedXIII was in Cosmo Canyon, Cid was living peacefully with Shera in Rocket Town, and Yuffie was in Wutai, where it was now the same Wutai it had been years ago before the war; not the tourist attraction site. Mostly likely, the little ninja was still stealing Materia though. Bad habits are hard to break, aren't they? She hadn't seen Vincent as much though. The last time she saw the ex-Turk, he had said he would just be traveling around but he still would hang around the Shinra Mansion.  
  
She walked up the creaky, old, wooden stairs of the well and sat upon the small landing, her feet dangling, legs swinging back and forth. She was instantly remembered of her childhood memories.  
  
Cloud was still living in Nibelheim, with her. They had decided to move in together since they had no one else. He wasn't home at the moment. The mercenary said he was just out training, as to not rust up his skills. She chuckled to herself. That was Cloud for you. Although there wouldn't hopefully be anymore threats, he was still defeating monsters. Stubborn as ever, he was.  
  
That was her stubborn guy. She would never admit it, but she *still* loved him. She was glad she had been able to spend so much with him before and now she still was. However, she still had one thing missing. That was his love. That's all she wanted from him, but her desire seemed so distant. After all these years, what would make him share the same feelings for her now? It was impossible.  
  
Suddenly, Tifa felt cold and empty. Those same feelings she felt when she was on the journey to Sephiroth. That feeling when she thought about Cloud. When she had no glimmer of hope of his love. A gust of wind rushed through her, sending shivery goosebumps all over her skin.  
  
Why couldn't she just simply forget about him? She had tried many times before, but her attempts were futile. Even when she had seen Cloud together with the late Cetra, Aerith, the green monster called Jealousy threatened to rear its ugly head from inside her.  
  
"I'm so pathetic." She said aloud to herself. She slammed a fist down on the worn away wood of the landing. Her crimson eyes became hot all of a sudden.  
  
'No!' she mentally screamed. 'Don't cry.'  
  
She felt the fresh teardrops stream down her face. Then a drop was felt on her thigh. She looked up and noticed that the sky had suddenly became darker than before.  
  
"Oh well." She choked through sobs. 'At least you can't tell that I'm crying.'  
  
Would she ever be to be with Cloud? She has had countless dreams of the two of them, just in each others warm embrace. Would she be able to live her dream? What made him attracted to Aerith? She was similar to her in ways. They were both cheerful and optimistic. Tifa might not have been angelic as her, but close enough. However, it was wrong to think badly of a deceased person.  
  
She had always tried to get closer to him; farther than friendship, but it never seemed to work. What was she doing wrong? Maybe it was because they weren't able to be together. But why?  
  
"Why?" she asked herself. She started crying harder, now, her eyes stinging. Tifa hugged her legs against her chest and sobbed into her knees. Maybe that was how they were meant to be, to never be together. She loved him so much and it hurt her to know that he couldn't be hers. She was wasting her heart on a useless person to return their love.  
  
"No, I need Cloud Strife."  
  
"Tifa?"  
  
She looked toward the voice and gasped. The young man stood with his one hand on the wooden stair rail, looking up at her with glowing bluish-green, MAKO-infused eyes. His spiky blond hair was already starting to lose it pointed ends from the rain. His old SOLIDER uniform was soaking as well.  
  
"Cloud?" Tifa said, while wiping the camouflaged tears from her eyes. 'Tifa, you're such an idiot.' She said to herself. "What are you doing here?"  
  
"I should be asking you the same. It's raining like cats and dogs and you're sitting out here as if it was a sunny day." He smirked in that playful day.  
  
'He seems to always find the humorous side of any serious situation.' She thought glumly.  
  
"I'm just, um." She couldn't find an excuse for him. He walked up the wooden steps toward and crouched down next to her.  
  
"What's wrong, Tifa?"  
  
She shook her head. "No-nothing." She was still gagging on her words. Her body began to slightly shake, as her drenched chocolate brown hair dripped on her skin. She could feel her tears threatening to run down her cheeks again. Cloud neared his face to hers.  
  
"Tifa?" he said ever so softly. He met her gaze. She had such beautiful eyes. They were brown with flecks of red in them, mixing it into crimson. He could feel the sorrow in them and her tear-stained face was noticeable.  
  
She gave a weak moan and looked to him. His eyes had that warm aura they always had when she looked in his eyes. Those MAKO eyes, which seemed so eerie were so brilliant at the same time. She loved him so much, but she could never tell him how she felt.  
  
The rain became coming down harder than before. It was pounding on the damp wooden landing of the well.  
  
"Tifa," he repeated. "Look." Cloud reached into his pocket and revealed a small, black box. He handed it to her. She looked in his eyes and then to the box. She took it, brushing her fingers against his. She opened and her eyes grew wide.then the she smiled for the first time that day.  
  
It was a pair of silver, teardrop earrings. Tifa had lost her last pair during their voyage back to Nibelheim, after the destruction of Meteor. They shown brightly even against the stormy weather.  
  
"Cloud." she was speechless. "Where did you get them?"  
  
"I just bought them along my way here. I remembered how you had lost your last pair, so." he trailed.  
  
'He had been thinking of me?' she thought. Tifa was in bewilderment. "Thank you so much." She smiled warmly at him, as tears started running down her face again. He cupped the side of her face with his hand, bringing his face close to hers.  
  
"Tifa, promise me you won't cry anymore." He looked deeply into her crimson eyes. Cloud leaned in and softly kissed her, keeping his lips there. The chocolate-haired girl wrapped her hands around his neck, pushing him closer to her. The couple stayed in their awkward positions as the rain just pounded on them. After a minute, the finally departed, panting for breath. "Because then, it just makes me want you even more."  
  
This time, Tifa Lockheart smiled broadly.  
  
.~+~.  
  
Author's Notes - I just thought this story was utterly beautiful, IMO. I think its just so cute. I got the inspiration while trying to go to sleep one night. Im not a fan of Cloti or Cloris either. I like both couples as a matter of fact. Anyways, just press the little purple button down there and..REVIEW! pleez?? Have a great summer, too!  
  
-Kasumi 


End file.
